Monday, 18 June 2012

Changing Places

Okay, I admit it – I don’t really
know London like the back of my hand.
For a start, London is quite a bit bigger than my paws and eleven years
is nowhere near long enough to explore every nook and cranny. However, I do like to think that I know
certain corners of the city pretty well.

I lived near Oval for about four
years before moving to Islington and l used to think that I had nearby Brixton
pretty much sussed – where to eat (the noodle bar on Coldharbour Lane), where
to dance (Living Room), best place for a tipple (Ritzy Cinema bar) where to find something to read (the second hand book shop on Coldharbour), high street clothes
(Selbys), quirky accessories (Joy) and gifts (the tiny shop on Station
Road). Whatever your want or need, I
could point you in the right direction.

Or so I thought.

On Friday I arranged to meet a
friend at Brixton Village Market. My
first surprise as I turned down Coldharbour Lane was that my old Saturday night
haunt Living Room was no more. Bummer. My second surprise was less of a
disappointment – in fact, it was something of a revelation. When I lived down south, I dismissed the
Village Market as somewhere that offered nothing more than a few fruit and veg
stalls and couple of dodgy take-away units.
How wrong could I be? Crammed
with shops full of quirky clothes and accessories for yourself and your home,
bars, cafes and restaurants, I was seriously impressed – and slightly sore that
I had not discovered it sooner. I met my
friend Laura who had just popped into Brixi where she sells her funky greetings
cards (and where fellow crafty-chick Pippa sells her fabulous flying women) and
wandered around for a bit before heading to Franco Manca for arguably the best
pizza in London – and an alternative to the usual Udon soup.

So, even if I do manage to turn
over every proverbial stone in every street of all 32 boroughs, I still won’t
really know London. It’s constantly
changing, a chameleon of a city that always keeps its inhabitants guessing. There’s no space to get bored when the view
from your office transforms before your very eyes. And I guess that’s why, even though it drives
me mad with its extortionate rent, flagging public transport system and general
disdain for anyone and anything, I’m still here.

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A chronicle of one woman’s tumultuous relationship with London Town. Whether it’s wrestling with London’s public transport and surly service or soaking up the atmosphere in Soho and mooching around the markets, London never fails to provoke a reaction!
For anyone who has ever lived in this chaotic city, and even more so for those considering a move to the capital.

About Me

Northern writer, blogger, artist and crafter living in London and trying to make sense of it all. Follow me on Twitter @ShellyBerryUK and check out my other work and ramblings at www.shellyberryoriginal.co.uk - see you there!